a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle seat construction which facilitates fastening of a child seat onto a vehicle seat main body provided with a seat cushion and a seatback.
b) Description of the Related Art
When driving with a child, it has been a conventional practice from the viewpoint of safety to fix a child seat on a vehicle seat and to keep him or her sitting there. As a method for fixing the child seat on the vehicle seat, it is possible to use, for example, a seatbelt which is arranged with the vehicle seat. With this method, however, the installation work of a child seat is irksome and time-consuming.
To permit easy and quick installation of a child seat, a method has been proposed. According to this method, an anchor bar is arranged on a frame of a vehicle seat main body, and attachment members of a child seat are brought into engagement with the anchor bar. Described specifically, this method features that, as is disclosed in JP 11-198695 A, an anchor bar is arranged between rear portions of both side frames of a seat cushion, said side frames extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and fixing attachments of the child seat are connected to the anchor bar to fix the child seat on the vehicle seat main body. This method allows simple installation work for the child seat as its installation can be completed by simply pressing and securing the fixing attachments of the child seat on the anchor bar on the side of the seat cushion.
However, the arrangement of the anchor bar as mentioned above, that is, between the rear portions of both side frames of the frame of the seat cushion, said frames extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, actually results in hiding of the anchor bar between a rear portion of the seat cushion and a lower portion of the seatback. This makes it difficult to determine the vertical positions of the fixing attachments of the child seat upon its installation, thereby preventing smooth installation of the child seat. In the event of a collision of the vehicle, the child seat is caused to move so that the anchor bar with which the child seat is in engagement is also caused to under go a large displacement. It is therefore necessary to apply beforehand substantial reinforcement to the anchor bar and the seat cushion frame or the like on which the anchor bar is secured.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a vehicles eat construction, which allows reduced displacements of an anchor bar on which a child seat is fixed and also facilitates installation of the child seat.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention, in one aspect thereof, provides a vehicle seat construction comprising a vehicle seat main body having a seat cushion and a seatback; a reinforcement member secured on one of a frame of the vehicle seat main body and a floor on which the vehicle seat main body is mounted; an anchor member fixed on the reinforcement member for releasable engagement with a connector portion of a child seat; and a guide portion arranged in the reinforcement member such that the connector portion of the child seat is guided to the anchor member. In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a vehicle seat construction comprising a vehicle seat main body to be arranged in a vehicle; a guide portion for guiding a connector portion of a child seat to be mounted on the vehicle seat main body; an anchor member arranged for releasable engagement with the connector portion of the child seat guided by the guide portion; and a reinforcement member reinforcing the anchor member at a location thereof where the anchor member is attached. In a further aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a vehicle seat construction comprising a vehicle seat main body to be arranged in a vehicle; and a guide portion for guiding a connector portion of a child seat, said child seat being to be mounted on said vehicle seat main body, to an anchor member reinforced at a portion thereof where said anchor member is arranged such that said connector portion is brought into engagement with said anchor member. As described above, the reinforcement member is secured on the frame of the vehicle seat main body or on the floor, and the anchor bar is fixed on the reinforcement member. The anchor bar is hence provided with improved rigidity, thereby making it possible to minimize a displacement of the anchor bar in the event of a collision of a vehicle. Further, it is no longer required to apply beforehand substantial reinforcement to the frame or the like of the seat cushion. In addition, the anchor bar is provided with the guide portion which serves to guide the connector portion of the child seat to the anchor bar, so that the attachment of the child seat to the vehicle seat main body can be performed with extreme ease.
The anchor member may bean anchor bar, and the guide portion may have a guide surface arranged underneath the anchor bar. According to this preferred embodiment, the guide surface can function as the guide portion so that the connector of the child seat can be readily inserted.
The reinforcement member may have a cross-section of a substantially inverted U-shape, and the guide portion may have been formed by bending a portion of the reinforcement member. According to this preferred embodiment, the reinforcement member can be easily formed.
The anchor member may be arranged in a vicinity of a rear end portion of the seat cushion, and the seat cushion may be provided at the rear end portion thereof with a recess into which the connector portion can be inserted. According to this preferred embodiment, the reinforcement member is provided with improved rigidity and, even if a large force is exerted on the child seat in the event of a collision of the vehicle, a displacement of the anchor member can be minimized.
The seat cushion may be provided with a ticking which covers an opening of the recess, and the ticking may have a slit portion to permit insertion of the connector portion into the recess. According to this preferred embodiment, the slit portion is closed owing to the restoring force of the ticking after the child seat is removed from the seat main body. The appearance of the seat cushion is not derogated, leading to improved attraction to the eye.
The anchor member may be an anchor bar, the guide portion may have a guide surface arranged underneath the anchor bar; and the recess may be formed with a bottom surface thereof extending in continuation with the guide surface. According to this preferred embodiment, the connector portion can be smoothly inserted on and along the bottom surface of the recess and the guide surface.
The vehicle seat construction may further comprise a resin-made plate arranged on the bottom surface of the recess such that the connector portion can be brought into sliding contact with the connector portion. According to this preferred embodiment, the resin-made plate functions as a guide upon insertion of the connector portion, thereby facilitating the insertion of the connector portion of the child seat.
The plate may extend onto the guide surface. According to this preferred embodiment, the resin-made plate functions as a guide upon insertion of the connector portion, thereby facilitating the insertion of the connector portion of the child seat.